MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Tax records show a nonprofit formed to promote Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley’s political agenda raised and spent less than $100,000 last year and is now dormant in the wake of a scandal surrounding the governor’s relationship with a former aide.
The 2015 tax return indicates that the Alabama Council for Excellent Government was never able to raise much money. Also known as ACEGOV, it raised $90,600 in 2015, and spent $63,574, mostly for consulting, polling and web development.
The nonprofit was formed last year by former administration officials as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit in order “to advance the beliefs and policies espoused by Governor Robert Bentley.” Such nonprofits are sometimes called “dark money” groups because they do not have to disclose donors, but they are required to file public tax returns describing expenditures and activity.
In its 990-EZ tax form, filed last month with the Internal Revenue Service after a three-month extension, the group reported paying $22,500 for web development, consulting and social media content and $28,000 for polling and services in 2015. The tax filing does not elaborate where the money was spent or for what purpose. It also shows a balance of $27,026 at the end of 2015.
Richard Raleigh, an attorney for the nonprofit, said the organization still legally exists, but that’s about it.